Alpha Centurion

Alpha Centurion
Cover of Adventures of Superman #527. Art by Stuart Immonen.
Publication information
Publisher	DC Comics
First appearance	Zero Hour: Crisis in Time #3 (September 1994)
Created by	Karl Kesel (writer)
In-story information
Alter ego	Marcus Aelius
Abilities	Advanced alien armor Flight Superhuman strength Invulnerability Energy sword and shield

Alpha Centurion is the name of three fictional superheroes published by DC Comics. Created by Karl Kesel, the character first appeared in Zero Hour: Crisis in Time #3 (September 1994).

Fictional character biography

Marcus Aelius

Alpha Centurion A

During the Zero Hour storyline, Superman was transported to an alternate timeline where he stumbled upon a Metropolis whose hero was the Alpha Centurion, a man named Marcus Aelius from Ancient Rome who had been abducted by an alien race called the Virimiru only to return centuries later. The Alpha Centurion went on to fight Extant and Parallax alongside the heroes of the DC Universe in a battle to save time itself. Having to restart existence with a new Big Bang, all alternate realities ceased to exist and this Alpha Centurion was no more.

Alpha Centurion B

Some time later, the Alpha Centurion of our timeline showed up. He too was Marcus Aelius and, like his counterpart before him, began operating out of Metropolis. There was initially some tension between Superman and him. With Lex Luthor in hiding and the Contessa Erica del Portenza in charge of Lexcorp, AC was put in charge of Team Luthor, which was remodeled after himself. When Superman was put on trial in front of an alien tribunal recruited Superboy, Supergirl, the Eradicator, and Steel to rescue him. He had a brief falling out with the others, since they mistakenly believed for a time that he was the Cyborg Superman in disguise. After arriving back on Earth, he was publicly embarrassed by Lex Luthor, quit Team Luthor and left Metropolis. He aided Earth's heroes in attempting to stop the Sun-Eater from consuming the Sun during the "Final Night" cross-over event. He was last seen in Washington D.C.

Aelius' origin was expanded upon. The Virmiru would visit worlds and exchange a champion of the world with one of their own, with the ultimate goal of conquering that world. The exchange was to appear as an act of friendship while the alien that remained would gain trust and ascertain weaknesses. After the champion is returned, the planet would be deemed ripe for conquest. Aelius celebrated a victory he led for the Roman legion under Emperor Hadrian when the Virmiru appeared on Earth. They proposed their offer and a global contest was held until Aelius emerged as Earth's greatest warrior. He would go to the Virmiru homeworld where he trained beside many other alien races in many fields including using the power suit employed by their hosts. All the while, the Virmiru Foris Ab Talimen remained on Earth for 2,000 years awaiting the return of Aelius (though, only ten years would pass for the champion). When his training was completed, the Virmiru gave Aelius the space ship Pax Romana he would use to return to his planet. After some time acting as a superhero in Washington, the Virmiru Interstellar Affairs Councilor Bellator contacted Aelius and told him Foris had gone rogue. When confronted, Foris told Alpha Centurion the truth about his race and the pair went to battle Bellator. Though perishing in the battle, Bellator admitted the Virmiru's objectives and revealed the invasion forthcoming.

Roman

A new Alpha Centurion was introduced in the Doomed series. During a terrorist attack at a museum, a college student named Roman used a belt from an exhibit as a tourniquet for his leg after he was shot. This allowed an ancient god, the Alpha Centurion, to take over his body and defeat the terrorists. Afterwards, the Alpha Centurion would continue to take over Roman's body at different times, acting as a superhero in Metropolis, though Roman is scared that one day the Centurion won't give him his body back when he's done with it. Roman is also roommates and friends with another student named Reiser, who transforms into a Doomsday-infected monster that comes into conflict with the Centurion.

Powers and abilities

• Marcus was a normal human who had been taken by aliens into space. He was granted access to incredible knowledge and advanced technology.
• In addition to his spacecraft the Pax Romana, Marcus' advanced suit of alien armor allows him to fly, grants him superhuman strength and speed, and allows him to generate an energy blade, similar to a lightsaber, and an energy shield.

External links

• DCU Guide: Alpha Centurion A
• DCU Guide: Alpha Centurion B
• Alpha Centurion biography
• Cosmic Teams: Alpha Centurion
• DCU Pictures

See also

• Green Lantern Corps
• The Reach